The Media Review: Reflecting on the draw with Ipswich

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Albion drew 0-0 with Ipswich on Saturday.

Nick Szczepanik

2024-09-15T10:15+01:00

Bart Verbruggen kept his first league clean sheet of the season. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

When the visiting goalkeeper is not only the man of the match, but the leading figure in most match reports, it is a safe bet that Albion have been on top but failed to find the net.

That was the case when Arijanet Muric of Ipswich Town kept his sheet frustratingly clean in the goalless draw with the Tractor Boys at the Amex.

The print edition of The Sunday Times boiled its match report down to little more than praise of Muric and some quotes from Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, but the online version did get around to mentioning the home side.

“Last time Arijanet Muric, the Ipswich Town goalkeeper, faced Brighton & Hove Albion, he conceded a late own goal that cost his team, Burnley, two vital points in a relegation battle that they lost.” it read. “Yesterday the Kosovo stopper was one of the heroes as Ipswich kept the Seagulls at bay.

“Muric and two Kosovo teammates were sent home early from international duty nine days ago after allegedly attending a nightclub until 2am in the wake of a 3-0 defeat by Romania. But there seemed to be no hangover at the Amex, especially in the first half. The stats at the interval showed that Brighton had had all the shots and all the corners, while Muric had made all the saves.

Arijanet Muric was named man of the match by many outlets. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

“Muric’s series of saves got under way after only three minutes when he sprawled to his left to deny the impressive Carlos Baleba. Brighton were playing some delightful football, but often too far from the Ipswich goal to pose any danger to the visitors. Even so they should have scored after 25 minutes when an intricate passage of passing at pace ended with Kaoru Mitoma overrunning the ball into the hands of Muric.

“Ten minutes later they had an even better chance. Yankuba Minteh’s touch sent Georginio Rutter through, Muric parried his shot and the rebound fell for Mitoma. However, Muric saved again and Mitoma hit the rebound wide. The second half began with Ipswich repelling yet another barrage of shots.”

Hector Nunns of The Sunday Mirror wrote that “Kieran McKenna might have been in the home dugout if things had panned out differently over the summer.

“He was strongly linked to and the hot favourite for the Seagulls job.

“And the Ipswich boss was left far happier with the draw than a frustrated Fabian Hurzeler, announced as August’s manager of the month last week after an unbeaten start.

Fabian Hurzeler was left frustrated with a goalless draw against Ipswich. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

“Brighton’s Carlos Baleba got off a 20-yard shot that was smartly saved by Muric. But Muric kept the scores level at half-time with a brilliant double save – first from Rutter, and then blocking the follow-up from Kaoru Mitoma.

“The Japan winger started the second half brightly – as Rutter saw one shot blocked and slid another just off target. Ayari won a free-kick from Kalvin Phillips - but Welbeck curled the 25-yard free-kick just wide.”

The Sunday Telegraph admitted that “this was one of the most one-sided draws imaginable, especially in a first half of total Brighton dominance, but Ipswich Town will not care. Their first away point on the road this season was hard-won and the game was hard-fought, but although the Tractor Boys were under the Brighton cosh for long periods, they almost snatched a breakaway goal and will be heartened by both performance and result.

“Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who was sent home from international duty with Kosovo nine days ago for allegedly breaking a curfew, set the tone early on with a diving save to deny Carlos Baleba, and later pulled off a double block from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma.

“Ipswich had not mustered a single effort on goal in the first half, but as shots continued to thud into Ipswich bodies, the Tractor Boys almost committed highway robbery when Liam Delap picked up the ball in his own half, outpaced Jan Paul van Hecke and slammed the ball past Bart Verbruggen - but off the far post.”

Lewis Dunk fights for possession with Liam Delap, who hit the post in the second half. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Henry Clark of The Mail On Sunday looked back into history for his intro, “The last time Brighton hosted Ipswich the top flight back in August 1982, Survivor’s smash hit Eye of the Tiger sat number one in the charts.

“More than four decades on, Ipswich proved to be the survivors of an afternoon of Brighton domination thanks in no small part to their goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric.

“Muric’s stand-out moment came 10 minutes from half time. A terrific, instinctive double-save to deny Georginio Rutter and Mitoma in quick succession when a goal looked inevitable.”

Andy Sims of the Press Association, writing for The Observer, noted that “Muric was busy from the first whistle, getting down sharply to tip Carlos Baleba's shot from the edge of the box wide.

“Brighton went on to dominate the first half but were guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net in the first half with Rutter, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck all opting to pass when a shot looked more profitable.”